InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Heart's Wish ❯ The Problem ( Chapter 1 )

Author: Red Falcon

e-mail: red_falcon0001[at]yahoo.com

 

 

The Problem:

 

She sighed. The jewel was complete and she had a decision to make. `What do I do now?' she wondered. Sango and Miroku were going to get married and Shippou had decided to stay with them. All the young kit wanted was a family. It seemed he would finally get it.

 

Inuyasha.

 

What was she going to do about the hanyou she'd grown to love? She sighed again. Leaning back onto the hillside she was resting on, she watched the pristine clouds float by. `That one looks like Shippou, after Inuyasha hits him on the head,' she thought with a light smile. The miko stretched her arms back and yawned. The sun's warmth was beginning to make her sleepy. The completed jewel shifted under her shirt.

 

`I guess I should go back to the village before someone misses me.' Kagome stood and brushed the grass off her skirt. Sighing for the umpteenth time that day, she walked back towards the new hut being built for Sango and Miroku.

 

~<>~

 

What was he going to do? The jewel was complete and Kagome could decide to leave. Inuyasha sighed from his perch within Goshinboku's branches. He didn't want the jewel anymore. Why would he need to change after making peace with both sides of himself? It was her doing in the end. Only Kagome could make him see that he was not worthless as both youkai and human.

 

`Keh,' he thought, `she'll probably try to give me the jewel anyway.' The woman-child had invaded his mind and dreams without him even noticing. After two and a half years of fighting, her presence was something he could no longer do without. And the worst part, he doubted that she even knew.

 

Kagome's scent drifted to him on the breeze. He unconsciously breathed in deeply to pull more of her into himself. He crossed his arms and waited for her to approach.

 

“Inuyasha?” He heard her voice calling from below him. He looked down at her upturned face.

 

“What do you want, wench,” he asked. His tone was soft making the once insult an endearment. She looked surprised.

 

“I was just heading back to the village and wondered if you would walk with me,” she said quietly. His sensitive ears picked up the words anyway. They twitched once as he rolled out of the tree.

 

“Sure,” he smirked at the squeak and annoyed sound she made at his abrupt descent.

 

“Don't do that!” she exclaimed as she flicked her fingers at his shoulder. They fell into step beside each other as they headed back to the village. Neither spoke. It was too beautiful of a day to shatter with an argument.

 

`Now or never,' Inuyasha thought to himself.

 

“Can I ask you something, Kagome?” Inuyasha stopped suddenly to face her.

 

“Of course.” She had noticed the thoughtful look on his face as she approached the tree earlier.

 

“What are you gonna do with the jewel?” Inuyasha asked bluntly.

 

“Well,” she started, “I don't really know yet. Why?”

 

“I was just wondering,” he said and started walking again. Kagome blinked and followed after him.

 

“Inuyasha, wait.” Kagome grabbed his sleeve to stop him. She looked up at him, “If you want it, I will give you the jewel after Sango's and Miroku's wedding. I want to be here for that.”

 

“So you're leaving then.” Inuyasha gritted out without turning to her. His statement was not a question. It was a simple statement of truth.

 

“No, well, I don't know.” She faltered at the raw look she could see in his eyes.

 

Inuyasha pulled out his hands from within his sleeves and turned to face her. He tilted her face up with gentle claws. Breathing was difficult as she looked into the liquid amber of his eyes.

 

“I don't want the jewel,” he said. It took Kagome a few moments to process his words, so lost was she in his eyes. He turned and walked off.

 

“You don't?” she asked slightly stunned.

 

“No. I don't need it anymore.”

 

“Oh, okay.”

 

“What are you going to do with it?” Inuyasha asked pausing long enough for her to catch up.

 

“I'm not sure now. I don't want to get rid of it because the well will close, but it can't stay here. It's a magnet for youkai,” she sighed, brushing her bangs back.

 

“Maybe you should talk to Kaede,” he said taking her arm to steer her towards the village.

 

“Yeah, I will. I really don't know what to do about it.”

 

They continued the rest of their journey in silence. The trees swayed in the breeze around her. She would miss it dreadfully if the well was to close, but she would miss her family as well. There was no good way to make the choice between the two places that had become her home.

 

On one hand, the future had her family along with modern conveniences like medicine and her personal favorite, showers. The Sengoku Jidai was cleaner, quieter, and was home to some of her most trusted and loved friends.

 

“What is it?” Inuyasha broke into her thoughts.

 

“Nothing,” Kagome smiled with forced brightness. “Do you think Sango and Miroku will have kids?”

 

“Keh. Any offspring that lecher produces will be exactly like him. He's gonna fill the world with nothing but damn perverts,” Inuyasha snorted.

 

“Oh come on, you don't really think that they will be that bad. I'm sure that Sango can keep all of them in line,” she said smiling as the resounding smack and thump reached all the way out to where they were walking.

 

Inuyasha growled low in his throat. `Damn monk,' he thought. As the still in progress hut came into view, Miroku was seen picking himself up off the ground with a perfect handprint on his cheek.

 

“Well hello!” he called out as cheerful as ever. Miroku stood and dusted off his robes.

 

“You're never gonna learn, are you monk.”

 

“I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about,” Miroku said blandly, “Kagome, you look troubled. Can I help?”

 

“You can stay away from her, monk,” Inuyasha growled.

 

“Stop that, Inuyasha. He's getting married! I'm alright, Miroku, I just need to talk to Kaede,” she waved off Miroku's concern with a flick of her hand and lightly smacked Inuyasha's arm before walking off towards the old miko's hut.

 

“All right. What did you do to her?” Miroku crossed his arms and frowned at Inuyasha.

 

“What are you talking about? I didn't do anything to her. She was like that when she found me,” the hanyou protested his innocence. He stuffed his hands into the sleeves of his haori.

 

“Sure you didn't. And what were you two doing out in the woods on such a beautiful day all alone?” Miroku unfolded his arms to nudge the hanyou in the ribs.

 

“Nothing, so get your mind out of the dirt,” Inuyasha scowled as his face turned a light shade of pink. “Speaking of dirt, why were you in it?”

 

“Between you and me, Inuyasha,” Miroku leaned in to speak delicately, “I'm not going to make it till the wedding.” Miroku affected such a long suffering tone that Inuyasha rolled his eyes and walked off in the direction of Kaede's hut. Behind him, he heard Miroku calling out.

 

“Sango, my sweet, is there some way that I might assist you with out future home?” Whatever her reply was was lost to the wind as Inuyasha broke into a run towards the edge of the village.

 

~<>~

 

Kagome trudged towards Kaede's hut. `Maybe there is a way to keep the well open and keep the jewel safe,' she thought. It was worth it to her to try. Inuyasha wouldn't want to stay in her time. She knew that. Even if he fell to his knees and proclaimed his undying devotion to her, he would not like modern Tokyo.

 

“Hello, child.” Kagome jumped, “Sorry, dear, I did not mean to startle you.”

 

“That's alright, Lady Kaede. I was coming to see you,” Kagome fell in step with the elderly woman who was heading back to her home.

 

“What about?” Kaede asked.

 

“It's about the jewel. I don't know what to do with it,” Kagome sighed. They stopped outside the hut.

 

“Here,” Kaede handed her a gardening hoe. “I find it easier to think while my hands are busy. Tell me, what do you think you should do with it?” Both women worked to weed the garden while Kagome thought of how best to answer the question that had been plaguing her all morning.

 

“I'm not sure. I don't want to make a wish yet because the well will close,” the young miko said after a while.

 

“You do not know which side you wish to be on yet,” Kaede nodded wisely. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Inuyasha take up residence in a nearby tree. It was a testament to Kagome's distraction that she did not sense him.

 

“Well, yeah.” Kagome sighed again and wiped some sweat that was forming on her brow. “I have so many things on this side of the well that are enough of reasons to stay, but my family is on the other side. I would miss them.”

 

“You need to purify the jewel, child. It would draw in youkai who would have its power,” Kaede said resuming her weeding. Kagome stood and walked to the edge of the garden and sat down in a huff.

 

“I know,” the girl said miserably.

 

“And what of Inuyasha?” Kaede asked pointedly. The young priestess's dilemma was fairly obvious to all those who saw them together. She loved him greatly.

 

“He said he doesn't want the jewel anymore,” Kagome said looking up at the elder miko. “I told him today that I would give it to him. If he wanted it, that is. He said no.”

 

“Well, at least he has finally made a good decision.” Kaede smiled inwardly. She could sense Inuyasha's irritation at her words. “He's finally made peace with himself.”

 

“Yes, I suppose he has,” Kagome agreed. She looked up at the sky and sighed again. “Maybe I should go home and talk to my mother.”

 

“If that is what you need, than do not let me keep you,” Kaede said turning back to her garden.

 

“Thank you, Lady Kaede.” Kagome got up and headed for the well.

 

~<>~

 

AN: Revised! Okay, maybe it's not as bad as I thought it was. I really need to redo the ending. It all just needed to sit for a while so I could really see it again. I'll do the other chapters later. I'm too tired now. Catch you on the flip side. Happy writing!

 

-Red